The present invention relates to the provision of electric power to portable electrical apparatus and, more specifically, to improved apparatus for deriving electrical power from a keyboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,529, entitled TYPING POWER and issued Jun. 15, 1999 in the name of Crisan, discloses a keyboard power generator having a plurality of keys with one or more magnets mounted on them. A plurality of coils are mounted on both ends of the magnets such that, when a user is typing, the magnet traverses the coils. The movement of the magnet over the coils causes an electric current to be generated. Various detailed arrangements are described for harnessing the power of movement of the keys on the keyboard for providing electrical power.
The energy provided by the keyboard described by in U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,529 is stated to be usable to lengthen the operating period of a portable computer, or in the alternative, it can be used to reduce the size of the primary battery so as to result in a lighter portable computer. The disclosure of the afore-mentioned patent is herein incorporated by reference to the extent not incompatible with the present invention.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, keyboard apparatus has keys for operation by a user. The keyboard comprises a first plurality of the keys being coupled to electrical generator apparatus for generating electricity from their operation; and a second plurality of said keys not being coupled to electrical generator apparatus. Keys exhibiting a relatively high usage rate are included in the first plurality of keys and keys exhibiting a relatively low usage rate are left in the second plurality.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a keyboard apparatus having keys for operation by a user comprises a first plurality of the keys being coupled to electrical generator apparatus for generating electricity from their operation; and a second plurality of the keys not being coupled to electrical generator apparatus, the first plurality of keys exhibiting a greater average statistical frequency of usage per key than the second plurality.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a considerable saving can be effected by equipping for electric power generation only a portion, appropriately selected, of the total number of keys on a keyboard because of the diminishing return on equipping little-used keys for power generation.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first plurality includes the two most frequently used keys based on statistics for a language for which the keyboard is to be used.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first plurality includes the three most frequently used keys based on statistics for a language for which the keyboard is to be used.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first plurality includes the four most frequently used keys based on statistics for a language for which the keyboard is to be used.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first plurality includes the N most frequently used keys based on statistics for a language for which the keyboard is to be used, where N is determined by design choice.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first plurality includes the N most frequently used keys based on statistics for a language for which the keyboard is primarily intended to be used, where N is determined by design choice.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, in a keyboard apparatus having keys for operation by a user, the keyboard comprises a key exhibiting the greatest average statistical frequency of usage of the keys, wherein that key is coupled to electrical generator apparatus for generating electricity from its operation; and the balance of the keys are not being coupled to electrical generator apparatus.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a keyboard apparatus comprises a plurality of keys for operation by a user, the keyboard comprising electrical power generation apparatus for generating electrical power from mechanical energy associated with operation of keys coupled thereto; a first plurality of the keys, herein referred to as generator keys, being coupled to the electrical power generation apparatus and exhibiting a first total relative statistical frequency of usage; a second plurality of the keys, herein referred to as non-generator keys, not being coupled to the electrical power generation apparatus and exhibiting a second total relative statistical frequency of usage; the number of generator keys divided by the number of non-generator keys forming a first ratio; the first total relative statistical frequency of usage of the generator keys divided by the second total relative statistical frequency of usage of the non-generator keys forming a second ratio; and the first ratio being smaller than the second ratio.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first and second relative statistical frequencies of usage are determined by observation from text samples in a language for which the keyboard is primarily intended to be used.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the first and second relative statistical frequencies of usage are determined by observation from text samples in the English language.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a keyboard apparatus includes a plurality of keys for operation by a user, the keyboard comprising a first plurality of the keys which are coupled to electrical generator apparatus for generating electricity from their operation; and a second plurality of the keys not being coupled to electrical generator apparatus, the first plurality of keys exhibiting a total statistically greater frequency of usage than the second plurality.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a keyboard apparatus includes a given total number of keys for operation by a user. The keyboard comprises electrical generator apparatus for generating electricity from operation of keys, a first plurality of the keys being coupled to the electrical generator, the balance of the total number of keys, not being coupled to electrical generator apparatus. The first plurality of keys exhibits a first total relative statistical frequency of usage; the balance of the total number of keys exhibits a second total relative statistical frequency of usage; and the first total relative statistical frequency of usage is greater than the second.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method for generating electrical power from a keyboard, comprises the steps of: determining a statistical frequency of usage for keys of the keyboard; forming a first group of keys having a given total statistical frequency of usage; forming a second group of keys having a total statistical frequency of usage less than the given total statistical frequency of usage; and coupling keys of only the first group to electrical generator apparatus for generating electricity from operation of such keys.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method for generating electrical power from a keyboard, comprises the steps of: determining a statistical frequency of usage for keys of the keyboard; forming a first group of keys having a first average statistical frequency of usage per key; forming a second group of keys having a second average statistical frequency of usage per key that is less than the first average statistical frequency of usage per key; and coupling keys of only the first group to electrical generator apparatus for generating electricity from operation of such keys.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a keyboard apparatus having a given total number of keys for operation by a user, the keyboard comprising: electrical generator apparatus for generating electricity from operation of keys; a first plurality of the keys being coupled to the electrical generator; the balance of the total number of keys, not being coupled to electrical generator apparatus; the first plurality of keys exhibiting a first total relative statistical frequency of usage; the balance of the total number of keys exhibiting a second total relative statistical frequency of usage; the first and the second total relative statistical frequencies of usage being in a ratio to one another; and wherein the ratio is based on a design choice.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the ratio is determined based on a balancing of the increased cost of including more keys in the first plurality of keys against the benefit of a greater amount of power generation.